Which activity is appropriate to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in a medical inpatient unit?

The appropriate activity to delegate to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in a medical inpatient unit is checking for postural changes in blood pressure. UAPs are trained to take vital signs, which includes measuring blood pressure in different positions, such as lying down, sitting, and standing. This task requires basic knowledge and skills that UAPs possess, making it suitable for them to perform without direct supervision from a licensed nurse or healthcare provider.

Other activities listed, such as administering medications, assessing vital signs and symptoms for changes, and providing patient education on hypertension management, require a higher level of clinical judgment, assessment skills, and the ability to interpret findings. Administering medications involves understanding the implications of medication action and potential side effects, which goes beyond the scope of UAP training. Similarly, assessing changes in symptoms requires professional training to make clinical decisions based on the findings, while patient education necessitates a deeper understanding of health conditions and the ability to interact with patients on that level.